Food cart
A food cart is a mobile kitchen set up on the street to prepare and sell street food to passers-by. Food carts are often found in cities worldwide selling food of every kind.
Food carts come in two basic styles. One allows the vendor to sit or stand inside and serve food through a window. In the other, the vendor stands next to the cart, while all the room in the cart is used for storage and to house the cooking machinery, usually a grilling surface. The cart style is determined principally by the type of food.
Food carts are different from food trucks because they do not travel under their own power. Some food carts are towed by another vehicle, while some are pushed by a human or animal.
History
The first food carts probably came into being at the time of the early Greek and Roman civilizations with traders converting old
However, the use of carts exploded with the coming of
The railways also brought another benefit: a plentiful supply of new suitably sized carts. Often traders requiring new carts would simply buy old railway station
Today the size and scale of carts have generally increased, and most are towed behind 4x4 vehicles. But hand-towed food carts are still a common sight where access is restricted and hungry people can be found.
Modern engineering and function
In the 21st century, innovations have included modular designed carts made with stainless steel, fiber reinforced plastic and aluminum. Some have been developed to drive themselves.[1]
Some food carts are associated with restaurants. Most of the food served from the cart is the same as the food in the restaurant.[2]
See also
- Food booth
- Gastronorm, a European standard for food containers
- Kiosk
- List of food trucks
- List of street foods
- Mobile catering
- Serving cart
- Taco stand
- Yatai
References
- ^ "New food cart concept". Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ "Yale Daily News - Food carts: A boon to parent restaurants?". Archived from the original on 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
External links
- "Inside the underground economy propping up New York City's food carts" by Crain's New York Business, 12 June 2016